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The bridge was commissioned by a wealthy merchant named Müslihiddin in 1442 during the reign of Murat II of the Ottoman Empire. Its architect was probably Architect Timurtaş. During the 1855 Bursa earthquake the bridge was partially damaged. During the Turkish War of Independence Bursa was occupied by Greece. In 1922, the bridge was bombed by the retreating Greek army. It was closed to traffic. In 1949 the bridge was reconstructed by the municipality albeit with minor modifications. After 2004, following another restoration the bridge was opened to traffic.
Details
The bridge is a single arc bridge. Arch span is 16 metres (52 ft) and the width is 11 metres (36 ft). It is an example of a rare type of covered bridge which houses a bazaar. It has been claimed (incorrectly) locally that it is one of only four bridges in the world having shops. Other bridges with shops on them are Ponte Vecchio and Ponte Rialto in Italy; Osam Bridge in Bulgaria; Pulteney Bridge in Avon, High Bridge in Lincoln, and "Frome Bridge" in Frome in the United Kingdom; and Krämerbrücke in Erfurt, Germany. In the original design there were thirty shops on the bridge. According to Ass. Prof Önge during the Ottoman times, the bridge was also used to check traffic between two neighborhoods of Bursa by closing during the nights.
Irgandı bridge in Bursa, Turkey
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